


Can You See Right Through Me?

by Aerica_Menai



Series: Like an Onigiri in a Fruits Basket [1]
Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket (Anime 2019), Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexuality, Asexuality Spectrum, Coming Out, F/M, Gen, Pre-Relationship, ace!Kyo, aroace!Hana, biromantic heteroflexible!Haru
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-29 20:22:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21416119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aerica_Menai/pseuds/Aerica_Menai
Summary: Kyo discovers that he's asexual, thanks to a conversation with Haru. Afterwards, once she becomes curious as to what has been going on with him, Kyo has a conversation with Tohru.
Relationships: Hanajima Saki & Honda Tohru & Uotani Arisa, Honda Tohru/Sohma Kyou, Sohma Kyou & Sohma Hatsuharu
Series: Like an Onigiri in a Fruits Basket [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1543870
Comments: 2
Kudos: 39





	Can You See Right Through Me?

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by the ever-fantastic @grayraincurtain <3
> 
> Title from Taylor Swift's The Archer.

Kyo always knew he was different from his friends. But then again, there was a difference between turns-into-a-cat-when-hugged-by-a-girl-weird and ugh-why-do-my-friends-keep-talking-about-sex-I-just-don’t-get-it-weird. The latest of such discussions had Kyo rolling his eyes and leaving. He just had no interest and he didn’t understand why they all found it so important. 

He was stalking along the hallways when he ran into Haru. “What has you in such a tizzy?” the cow drawled. 

“Why do you even care, stupid cow?” Kyo muttered, knowing he was taking his frustration out on the wrong person, but not knowing how to stop either. 

“Whether I do or don’t, do you want to tell me anyway?” Haru offered mildly.

Kyo grumbled a bit before folding. “I just…I don’t get why sex is all anyone can talk about,” he sighed. “It’s just not that important in the scheme of things and there are so many other things to talk about.”

Haru nodded to himself. “I guess it’s time to give you the talk,” he replied. 

Kyo blushed. “I’ve had the sex talk, dammit!”

Haru smirked. “Bet Kazuma-sensei did a good job, but I’m pretty sure he missed this part. Come on.” And so saying, Haru pulled Kyo into an empty room. “Look, you know how I love Yuki but I’m dating Rin?”

“Yeah?” Kyo fidgeted.

“There’s a good reason for that. I’m biromantic – romantically attracted to both my gender and others – and so I love both Yuki and Rin romantically. Following me so far?” Kyo nodded. “But even though I’m *romantically* attracted to Yuki, I’m not *sexually* attracted to him. I’m not sexually attracted to men. Not that I wouldn’t give it a try, at least,” Haru mused. “But Yuki’s not interested in trying, so.” He shrugged. “Anyway – ”

“Wait, wait,” Kyo interrupted. “What does that mean, you’d at least try? If you’re not attracted, won’t you have – ” He waved his hand, blushing. “You know, issues?”

“if you can’t even say the words, Kyo, maybe you’re not ready to have this conversation?” Haru deadpanned.

“Fuck you, won’t you have trouble getting hard, you dick?” Kyo spat.

Haru smirked. “Close enough. Okay, you know how you feel about chives?” Kyo wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Exactly,” Haru continued. “That’s the way some people feel about sex – the way I *think* you feel about sex. Am I close?” 

Kyo thought about it. “You’re not too far off, actually,” he admitted. 

Haru grinned. “Awesome. Now me, on the other hand, I feel about sex with Rin like – tea. I enjoy it, sometimes I really want it, but it’s not something that I would say is a *need,* unlike some Neanderthals. You following me?” Kyo nodded. “The idea of sex with Yuki is more like…trying a new recipe for a food I like. It’ll be different, I don’t really know whether I’ll like it or not, but – it’s an adventure. It could be a good one.” Haru shrugged. “Or something like that.”

Kyo nodded slowly. Haru continued, “So people can be asexual – not attracted to people sexually – but have different feelings about the act of sex itself. Attraction is different than action. Like I said, even if I’m not attracted that way to Yuki, I would be interested in trying at least. You could say I’m sex-neutral, or at least questioning, when it comes to sex with guys. You seem pretty solidly on the sex-repulsed side of things, but there are certainly ace people who like having sex – that’s usually called sex-favorable.”

Kyo just stared at him, mind whirling with all this new information.

Haru patted him on the back. “Why don’t you head back to class? I’ll send you some information to read after school.”

***

Kyo was in a daze for the rest of the school day. He had never thought there was a *name* for what he felt, much less that there were more people who felt the same way! 

He was still pretty lost in his thoughts during the walk home, giving Tohru grunts, nods or head shakes in response to her questions. He could tell she was getting worried (she always worried) but he couldn’t pull himself out of his thoughts long enough to reassure her - he was too busy wondering what might be in the links Haru sent him. Eventually, the rat stepped in and distracted her; at least he was good for something.

At the house, Kyo ran upstairs. He faintly heard Tohru ask what his rush was and yelled “Homework!” behind him before slamming his door shut. He didn’t bother locking it, mostly due to his rush to see what Haru had sent him. 

The first link was to something called AVEN. It turns out he was one of around 70 million people, around one percent of the population - he had no idea...

The next few links were more about the community – symbols, colors, jokes... Kyo smirked. He would have to start adding to his wardrobe – maybe not so much the purple, since that would look pretty awful with his hair, but the other colors... and maybe he would have to look into getting a black ring? He was pretty deep into a Google search when he heard Tohru ask, from right over his shoulder, “A black ring, Kyo? It looks really cool!”

Startled, Kyo yelled (not shrieked, definitely not) and slammed his laptop. “What the hell??”

Tohru quickly backed away. “A-ah, sorry Kyo-kun, I didn’t mean to startle you! I thought you heard me come in, usually you’re pretty impossible to sneak up on...” She paused. “And this doesn’t look like homework...”

Kyo flushed, caught. “I...uh...”

Tohru’s eyes narrowed. “Does this have something to do with you talking with Haru yesterday?”

Kyo’s brain finally decided to chime in. “Yeah, I was talking to him about what his jewelry’s made of – black rings can be made with a lot of different materials, I wanted to get his opinion, and he sent me a bunch of links to look at after school today.” Please buy it please buy it please buy it...

“Oh, okay,” Tohru replied. Kyo thought he was in the clear, until Tohru asked, “But why were you looking at rings at all? You’ve never mentioned being interested in jewelry of any kind before – and wouldn’t a ring in particular be inconvenient at the dojo?”

Busted! 

Kyo could feel himself getting defensive, body folding inwards and temper flaring. But before he could snap anything he’d regret, Tohru backed off. “I – I am so sorry Kyo-kun, it – it’s none of my business anyway,” she stuttered before fleeing the room. Kyo fell onto his bed and groaned. Now he felt guiltier than ever. 

***

Tohru fled downstairs to the kitchen, mind still whirling over *Kyo* looking at *rings!* True, they didn’t look all that romantic, and he told her that he was looking at them for himself, but…that just didn’t sound right. Kyo had been nervous when he was giving his explanation, not to mention how distracted he had been that day and how little sense his explanation had actually made when she thought about it… Tohru gasped. Kyo must be trying to propose to someone! 

And of course the best way to apologize for her prying was to help him with his plans. But how could she best do that?

***

Tohru nearly gave Uo and Hana heart attacks when she started their video chat with the question, “How do you best propose to someone?” 

Uo turned red and started sputtering threats, while Hana just turned a shade paler and calmly asked, “Did that idiot actually mention marriage without consulting us first? Because if so…”

“No, no,” Tohru interrupted, “it’s got nothing to do with me, just Kyo-kun.” 

Both their eyes narrowed at that. “Maybe start at the beginning, Tohru?” Hana asked. So Tohru explained how she found Kyo looking at pictures of black rings, and how she thought he had lied to her – or at least not told her the whole truth – when she asked him why. 

Uo looked just as confused as Tohru did, but Hana looked thoughtful. “A black ring, you’re positive?” Tohru nodded. “Then I think I know what’s going on. However,” she continues before Uo or Tohru could respond, “I’ll need to talk to him to figure out if I’m right – and whether I am or not, it’s not my place to say it.” Tohru drooped. “But I will let him know that you’re curious.” 

Tohru grinned. “Thank you Hana-chan!”

***

The next day, Kyo was surprised by Hanajima lurking behind him between classes. He yelped when she whispered right behind him, “Do you have a minute to chat?” He knew that it wasn’t really a question, more like a command, so he followed her into an empty stairwell. She turned to face him, pulling out a necklace with a black ring on it. Kyo just raised an eyebrow. Hanajima rolled her eyes and slid it onto the middle finger of her right hand. 

Kyo just stared. “You…you too?” he stuttered.

She nodded. “But you may want to talk to Tohru at some point, she’s very curious – and the only reason I knew to have this conversation with you,” she added pointedly. 

Kyo nodded slowly. 

“Good,” Hanajima replied as she put her ring back on her necklace and her necklace back under her shirt. Kyo thought he saw a white ring on the necklace as well as it disappeared, but he didn’t ask any questions – he could look it up later. For now, he had to think about what he wanted to tell Tohru after school.

***

When they had gotten back to their house, Kyo followed Tohru to the doorway of her room, knowing the Rat was safely out of earshot on his way to the garden and Shigure was out of the house. He cleared his throat and just jumped in. “You were right, asking questions yesterday. My interest in getting a black ring is…pretty new.” He swallowed. “A…group of people wear them on their right-hand middle finger as a way to…identify each other.” 

Tohru frowned. “Like a gang? Kyo-kun, did you join a gang?” 

Kyo chuckled. “More like a club – everyone has this thing in common.”

Tohru nodded, not pressing. And for that, Kyo knew he just had to tell her, no matter how terrified he was. “I’m asexual,” he forced out. “That’s the group, asexual people.” He took a deep breath. “It means we’re not sexually attracted to people, there’s no looking at someone and going ‘hey, I’d sleep with them.’” He ruffled a hand through his hair. “I mean, some people still want to have sex, some people just don’t care and some people really don’t want to and – ” 

“Kyo-kun,” Tohru interrupted, hand on his arm. “I appreciate you telling me, and trusting me, but I think you’ve said enough for the night. You don’t look so good.”

Kyo did feel a little light-headed, but… “I’m fine,” he growled. “I just…I didn’t want you to worry anymore.”

The smile she gave him at that, he could read it like an open book. She was always going to worry about him, but she appreciated him trying to worry her less. Kyo looked away, flushing red. “Anyway, I have homework to do,” he muttered as he left the room. He knew it wouldn’t be the last time they talked about it, but for now, they were good.


End file.
